#the mangaka is a genius

[yumedoca]

Presenting… The first and final volume covers for every major Takahashi series (which has concluded)!

Urusei Yatsura (1978-1987)

Maison Ikkoku (1980-1987)

Mermaid Saga (1984-1994)

Ranma 1/2 (1987-1996)

One-Pound Gospel (1987-2007)

Inuyasha (1996-2008)

Rin-ne (2009-2017)

#rumic world #rumiko takahashi #urusei yatsura #maison ikkoku #mermaid saga #ranma 1/2 #one pound gospel #inuyasha #kyoukai no rinne #Manga #I thought it would be cool to put the first and final volume for all of Takahashi’s works in one post #its kinda cool since her art style progression can be seen kinda smoothly if you observe #One pound gospel might’ve had the most dramatic art style change thou #Of course I couldn’t put MAO since it isn’t finished yet #I didn’t put her Rumic world volumes since the stories are one shots and not a single storyline #Truly a genius Mangaka with a lot of Fantastic tales and stories bursting with creativity #I could never get tired of them

[skania]

I noticed you replied to my ask and it seems like you misinterpreted my question! I did mean to ask why you think kana would be the most predictable choice for the endgame - is it just a feeling or did you notice some clues etc. while reading the chapters?

Ohhh my apologies anon, thank you for clearing that up for me! I have to admit that it didn't occur to me that other people may not notice it, to me it's just extremely blatant because of the basic tropes and clichés behind it: first girl wins, light to the boy's darkness, "oh he's his old self around her", etc. But in all honesty, the biggest thing to me is how the series just won't let us forget that Kana has feelings for Aqua. Remember when Aqua and Akane started dating for real and the manga was like: Have you seen how sad Kana is over him?? And that Aqua is obsessed with her? How sad, right? And here have Aqua and Akane on a date—but Aqua is attracted to Kana! And here is Kana crying over Aqua again! It just stands out to me because they don't have the development to warrant that kind of attention, yet it's there. But mostly, it stands out to me because I've already lost two shipping wars for this very same reason and my gut won't let me forget lmao

But like I said before, it's possible that Aka wants us to feel this way because he is planning to subvert all these tropes and deliver a platonic Aqua and Kana ending. I can only hope that's the case, so that's the reading I want to focus on in my posts because it's the one I personally find the most interesting and rewarding set-up wise 😂

#onk asks convos #me: aqua and kana #here is to hoping aka lives up to his “genius mangaka” moniker #also I just thought of this but if anyone wants to send me messages about kana and aqua please do so off-anon so I can reply privately #if I have a theory about them that I think warrants sharing I'll post it here (I have one in my drafts related to chapter 123 for example) #otherwise any thoughts I have on them are secondary to my akane and aquakane focus so please help me keep my blog on topic😭

[sylhea-raemi]

I'M GOING TO FUCKING CRY I DID NOT EXPECT THEM TO PUT THIS MOMENT IN THE MANGA EARLY 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Good day for annoying people (me)

#FUCKING HATE THIS MANGA MY GOD #AIRI'S FLASHBACK😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 #I LOVE THEM I LOVE THEM SO MUCH #I'M GOING TO CRY #AIRI'S EXPRESSION WAS UNEXPECTED BC I SWEAR I DID NOT IMAHINE THAT FACE OH MY HOD #the mangaka is a genius putting that scene here because this way airi's fond face made me want to cry oh my god #i felt goosebumps reading that flashback holy fucking shit #IM GOING TO FUXKING CRY #I LOVE THIS REUNION SO MUCH LIKE WOW #sylhea talks maydare

[venranae]

The story telling of goodbye eri is insane what the fuck

#i just read it and even tho its a oneshot it left me stunned #i love how fujimoto tricks the reader into doing sth thats supposed to be the entire point of the story #that you interpret this oneshot and that its your own perspective and choice to interpret it however you want. #and the last panel dude... that was genius. i wont lie it was all one big joke and yet that was a genius move #i think its a beautiful way to picture how to let go of the past and your grief #fujimoto the best mangaka fr i eat up everything he throws at me #even if its bullshit i'd still tell u its a masterpiece i dont care this man knows sth we don't

[sugar-grigri]

I know what I'm saying may sound too meta, but I see a lot of self-deprecation on Fujimoto's part in Part 2. I'll go back a few chapters to show you, but I find that he consciously sets up a lot of narrative self-sabotage.

The chapter that comes to mind when I say this is chapter 128. For me, the same feeling of frustration had been aroused with Denji showing emotional intelligence, confiding in and reassuring Asa about something he'd never spoken about before: his grief.

And suddenly, Denji confides his dream.

In the same way it had provoked divisive reactions. Some saw it as an alignment with Denji's development (my position), others as a step backwards, and finally some ended up exasperated by this abrupt and seemingly "out-of-tune" ending.

Fujimoto took a break of almost a year and a half before releasing season 2. In the meantime, he released several One Shots that were adored and praised by his peers and critics alike. Fully demonstrating his writing talent. To the point of being considered a genius by some.

I think that for someone who finds the mangaka profession the worst in the world, this is an ironic status. Fujimoto never set out to make CSM a morally white or black work, or a conventional one, let alone one that would win consensus. It's a work that has always had the will to be divisive, and I think Fujimoto is once again seeking to provoke this kind of reaction.

I think Part 2 is brilliantly written, and even the absurd scenes that can make your nose blow still make sense, even if they are frustrating. But above all I think Fujimoto is having fun confronting his own audience.

Everyone is thrilled to see Denji/CSM's relationship with Asa/Yoru, imagining friendship, or love. At last, a door to happiness. Once again, Fujimoto shows that he's only good at one thing: traumatizing you and his own characters.

If you're interested in his entire body of work, read Fire Punch. I think FP is the epitome of a unique work to read, traumatizing, complicated and in which the characters sometimes find the worst way out. OS also follows this logic to a lesser degree. The characters are deconstructed without anesthesia.

Denji and Asa will suffer. Because Fujimoto has decided it. You signed up for this.

#csm spoilers #chainsaw man #csm #csm part 2 #csm 136 #csm 128 #denji #asa #my thoughts

[bas-writes]

with the new wave of fans coming from the live action one piece & having the topic of picking the manga/anime up I think one thing is not discussed enough

due to its length, One Piece is an over 25 years old piece of manga history

that's half of Oda's life, that's his evolution as an artist and as a human, from times when he was a barely known young mangaka with head filled with boy-ish ideas to times when he's a husband, a father, and one of the most influencing & best selling mangaka in industry's history. that's a manga as a genre evolution, over 25 years of history packed into a linear story. it started in fucking 90s, that's like ages, eons even, ago within the fast current of popculture.

you will see not only how the style & narration changes, you will see how Oda's life influenced his magnum opus, how manga market & condition of world-wide popculture shaped and influenced him as an artist.

you will see the worst and the best takes on trans characters in manga. you will see misogyny & fatphobia - and amazing female and fat characters. you will see asexual MC and heavy ace-coding of the story, and subversive takes on sexuality and female sexuality empowerment, and subtly yet clear-cut stance against SA - and at the same time jokes and fanservice based on harassment (fuck you, Sanji). you will see genius writing - and writing worth nothing more than a facepalm. you will see brilliance, and constraint, and exhaustion, and depression.

you will see how Oda meanders in the swamp of manga market, one of the most tight, oppressive & exploiting creative markets that modern society has spat out.

you will see how a strongly anarchist, anti-capitalism story gets dragged through capitalism lenses and turned into a product... and how one of the results of this process is the live action itself.

and yes, all of this is also a manga that will make you laugh at poop and dick jokes. and at some point there's an ass, walking independently from the rest of the body, and communicating with farts. it's an important part of one of story's crucial arcs.

#tl;dr whatever you think & know about it already: you are NOT ready #none of us was #and I feel a lot of people dislike/throw the manga away because they try to compare it to other titles #instead of treating it as its own unique story #& without taking under consideration what kind of multilayered behemoth it is #there is no other manga like one piece #'but X...' no believe me absolutely NOT #bas mumbles

[bean-doge]

"The red of setting sun", Akira x Shoutarou SS

“I feel like time has stopped. Like I’ll always be here with you, never ageing.”

“......”

“So I don’t mind if this sunset continues forever.”

“I wouldn’t mind it either. It’d be nice if the time has really stopped.”

Railway crossings with the lowered gates, the backs of tired people, the persimmon trees in someone’s garden were all passing by the train window, basking in the orange light.

I was looking at it standing by the door. Autumn was slowly taking its toll; it made me feel strangely relieved, and I let out a quiet sigh.

    

Akira-kun was standing right next to the Soshigaya station ticket gate.

His hair was even more ruffled than usual, and he was wearing round glasses, which didn’t suit him at all.

According to his words, all influential mangakas had glasses, so he felt more motivated when wearing them.

This all meant that he had a deadline coming.

Of course, these glasses were fake and didn’t have lenses in them.

He pulled his hands out of the haramaki and opened them towards me.

“Welcome back, Shou-chan~!”

…But why did he sound like he was on the verge of tears?

When I slowly approached him, he hugged me tightly and started patting my head and shoulders.

“What’s gotten into you?”

“I came to pick you up!”

“Aren’t you busy drawing your manga?”

“I was so worried about you, I couldn’t do anything else…”

“You’re too anxious. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Nothing to be scared about.”

“That’s good to hear.”

But even when Akira-kun finished checking if I was okay, he still looked upset.

If I smile at him, he'll smile back.

With a forced and bitter smile, as radiant as the setting sun.

“Let’s go home together.”

We walked at a distance too small for friends, too big for lovers, but just enough for a family.

     

Actually, the world has been coloured by the sunset for two days already.

For some reason, the night hadn’t come after the evening yesterday, and, of course, without the night, the morning didn’t come either.

The hands of the clocks struck 12 or 7, but the landscape remained just as it was at sunset.

     

When I say ‘world’, I mean just the small place where I live. But for everyone else, it only happened in the Setagaya district.

“Can we stop by the greengrocer shop?”

“Sure. What d’you wanna buy?”

“I thought that yesterday’s curry would taste better with eggplants.”

“Shou-chan, you’re a genius.”

I didn’t understand why the sun wasn’t setting or why we were led to think so.

Strange events like this happened quite often and usually resolved by themselves without any explanation.

And that’s why people on the streets seemed to continue living by the clock with the usual expressions on their faces.

It was half past seven.

Hearing the trumpet of the ramen shop made me feel strange.

As if I were dozing off, and everything surrounding me has been a dream.

“I heard that nights when the sun doesn’t set are called white nights. Seems like they happen often near the South Pole.”

We bought a big autumn eggplant and were heading home when I started telling Akira-kun what I learnt today.

“They said so on the radio in the cafeteria where I went for lunch.”

“Nah, no way we’re gettin’ those in Tokyo.”

He hunched over more than usual, his chin dropped, and walked a bit uncomfortably.

He was the only one in the town who seemed to be nervous.

“It’s too creepy that the sun’s not goin’ down…”

“If you leave Setagaya and go to Shinjuku or Machida, the sky will go back to normal. And when you return to Setagaya, it’ll be sunset again.”

“It makes no sense, really~...”

“What if we’re seeing a rare natural occurrence now?”

“No way it’s natural…”

Not holding any worries like Akira-kun, I blinked slowly, looking at the strange sunset.

He became even more anxious, seeing how low my sense of danger was.

“Well, at least it’s not that troublesome that the night doesn’t come. You can just wrap yourself in the futon when sleeping, and the sun won’t bother you. And it feels good to wake up when it’s bright outside.”

“You’re too quick to adapt…”

“Do you really hate it that much?”

“‘Course I do… Night’s good because it’s night; mornin’s good because it’s mornin’.”

“And what’s good about the night?”

“At this season, the bell crickets are creaking. And the moon looks pretty. Yesterday, we couldn’t see it at all because of this sunset.”

“...”

“Sunset’s also good, but I don’t wanna miss other beautiful things ‘cause of it.”

“You sound just like a writer today.”

“Mangakas are writers too, y’know?! Our sensitivity is what sells our works!”

After that, Akira-kun scowled at the sunset.

But I still couldn’t see it as anything but dazzling and beautiful.

“Akira-kun, do you ever feel suffocated when looking at the setting sun? Sometimes I get scared by it. …But not today.”

“?”

“I finally understood why my chest hurts so much at sunset. The sinking sun and the day ending turn into loneliness, sorrow, and sentimentality, and it makes me feel miserable.”

But now I’m calm.

The never-ending sunset made me feel safe.

“I feel like time has stopped. Like I’ll always be here with you, never ageing.”

“......”

“So I don’t mind if this sunset continues forever.”

“I wouldn’t mind it either. It’d be nice if the time has really stopped.”

“......”

“But it’s not like that, right? I still have my deadline tomorrow, and the trains still run on time.”

…He’s right.

I flipped the calendar, and the curry I ate in the morning tasted better than yesterday, having sat overnight.

“It’s boring to see the same scenery every day. I hope everything comes back to normal soon, so I can see different landscapes with you~”

“Akira-kun……”

“Even when the night comes and the morning comes after that, we’ll always be together. And, ‘course, even when we become old geezers.”

Akira-kun held my right hand.

His hand was hot after being warmed in the haramaki.

And his smile was soft—not bitter at all.

I thought that his vermilion-coloured cheeks were way more beautiful than the sunset.

Suddenly, the feeling of anxiety overcame me, and I dropped my head.

“...Usually things like this end quickly. Why does this one go on for two days already?”

“Well, maybe the guy who usually deals with all this got into some trouble?”

“That would be bad…”

“Or maybe they’re daydreaming like you just now.

“......”

“But they better come to their senses soon and do something about it!”

He raised his eyebrows and showed me a thin and comical smile, fitting for someone playing a supporting role.

I couldn’t help but smile in return.

“How’s your audition today?”

“Horrible.”

“Thought so. So I bought you a ‘get-better-pudding’.”

“I’m glad. Genuinely.”

“And if it went well, it would be a ‘celebration pudding’.”

“How convenient.”

“I also got a 'request pudding’... Can you help me put on solid colours when we get home…?”

“I’d do that even without the pudding.”

When we got closer to our house, the sun suddenly went down.

First Venus twinkled in the sky, then the bell crickets started creaking.

Curry was even better than in the morning; just as I thought, the sweetness of the roasted eggplant made the taste stand out.

Nothing happened—nothing at all. Just another day went down as usual.

     

Please, tell me if there are any mistakes or places that sound weird

#uuultra c #adelta #akishou #kagome shoutarou #kozuka akira #bean doge translates

[narutocharacterpolls]

ROUND THREE

ROCK LEE vs HYUUGA NEJI

Reasons for submission under the cut

Lee

ROCK LEE VS GAARA

kind as can be; willing to jump to action to help his fellow comrades even after going through a life-threatening, major surgery

practical and fashion-forward with his bright green onesie. Function over form, and is prepared at all times by carrying around a spare onesie he will give without question to anyone - even complete strangers

has a surprising edge to him at the beginning of the series; he was ready to severely maim anybody that he saw as a genius

more dedicated than anyone. Was forced to face his own mortality and make a life-or-death decision in the name of his dream, after a literal crushing defeat, and he chose to fight for it. Inspiring

embodies the ideals of original series Naruto. True underdog, had nothing going for him, came from nothing with no legacy or powers, was so disadvantaged that he physically could not meet the bare minimum abilities of his peers. But he worked harder than everyone else and proved that he can be a great shinobi despite all the adversity he faced

Sasuke had to copy Lee’s moves with his Sharingan to succeed during Chuunin exams

cute as a button. Come on.

his fans are dedicated and make amazing work, fanart and fanfic

Kishimoto said he was his favorite character to draw. Boom. Favoritism. Love to see it.

pairs well with everyone. Platonic or romantic, Lee has a great dynamic with other characters

his summer outfit from Guardian of the Crescent Moon Kingdom was the best outfit in the movie

gave us Metal Lee! Blessed us with Metal Lee, really

was the character to beat in the early series if you wanted to show how strong you actually are

Gaara vs Rock Lee was one of the most iconic fights in the series, and everyone remembers where they were when they first saw Lee drop his weights. He owned that fight so hard that people forget he lost.

was wronged by the series. He deserves to win as justice.

got [submitter] personally through the worst times; his ability to persevere face of adversity convinced me I could do it too. He wasn’t special and neither was [submitter], but we didn’t need to be. We can make ourselves great. If no one else got me, Rock Lee’s got me

he’s one of the first non-jutsu using ninja so make such a big impact

was the first person to actually harm Gaara

played a huge part in Gaara becoming a better person

he’s one of the only people that can catch up to Sasuke and easily rivals Naruto in Taijutsu

his kind, determined and cheerful attitude is a joy to watch

Rock Lee removing his weights is easily one of the most iconic moments in the entire anime

has helped several submitters feel better by simply thinking about how he wouldn’t want them to think like that

objectively would’ve made a better protagonist based on the themes alone

KICKS MAJOR ASS

wrecked Sasukes shit, I like Sasuke but that was really funny

he looks like a frog. Who doesn’t like frogs

inspired Sasuke

fights are always entertaining, they’re very well choreographed

he forgave Gaara for nearly killing him and nearly ending his dreams; he was never even mad at him

Rock Lee vs Sasuke was iconic

his heart is so full of love

never did anything wrong

had a squirrel befriend him

hard worker

good friend

rises to any challenge

when he does diss people they are the most brutal yet entertaining disses you ever hear

positive, weirdo, energetic, enthusiastic, joyful, chivalrous, motivated, dedicated, sweet

Lee and Neji had something homosexual going on

YOUTH !!!!

Neji

very tragic character

has so many layers

has a great arc (if you ignore the. yknow)

the eye imagery is very good

the inherent queerness of rebellion

carried the Hyuuga clan

awesome hair

disrecpected by the narrative

could've easily been a revolutionanist if the mangaka wasn't a coward

#bestnrtcharapoll #naruto #polls #rock lee #hyuuga neji #neji hyuuga #id in alt text

[ouroborosorder]

Should I read the 100 Girlfriend Mamga? I've heard it's trashy, and as a rule I normally shy away from Harem stuff, but every panel I've seen from it is so goddamn funny...

it is profoundly trash. It is the Highest eschalon of trash. It’s the Mona Lisa of hot garbage. If you are the sort of person who thinks “I have heard this thing is kinda trashy” and marks that as a point of concern, 100 GF is not for you. 100 GF is for the people who hears “kinda trashy” and starts putting on their finest dumpster diving suit. And boy is it worth it.

it is a masterpiece of writing, because balancing its unreasonably massive cast is literally one of the single most impossible endeavors a mangaka could undertake, and it actually manages to pull it off. Each character is well-developed, with their own dynamics, not just with Rentaro, but with their other girlfriends, each of them bouncing off each other in a way that feels really natural and charming. It’s also a comedic fucking genius. I think “DJ No Smoking Before 20” is the second hardest any manga has ever made me laugh. (second only to Witch Watch’s death game chapter)

As a romcom/harem, it actually manages to pull off the massive dating pool because Rentarou is an impossibly perfect boyfriend. Most harem manga suck ass because it’s women throwing themselves at a guy who doesn’t want to date them. but 100 GF is magic because Rentaro fucking loves every one of his girlfriends. And there is never a single doubt, even once, if the girls should be dating him. He is the best boyfriend in the entire universe, and he loves all of them so very much.

It also has a teenage boy dating one of his girlfriends’ mother, another one of his girlfriends’ grandma, his own cousin, and two of his teachers. You will be watching one girl regularly get beat with a baseball bat for her own sexual pleasure.

i cannot recommend this manga without 5.6 million asterisks. Your trash tolerance must be at the level where you can stomach the average isekai without wanting to gauge your eyes out. You will have at least one GF whose bit goes too far for your comfort. This is the nature of the beast.

I highly recommend it!!

#Kurumi’s my favorite. Not that anyone asked #She’s so close to my personality it’s not even funny #I get her Exact craving thing

[k-martins]

While my simp ass is back, I've been brainstorming Itafushi fanfic ideas (I write things other than stupid, self-deprecating jokes, okay? I might get the pronouns wrong, but I really write! I swear I'm smarter in my native language).

And, because this is my personal diary, I'm going to share it with you (you're welcome). now listen to me:

Mangaka! Megumi x Freelance Artist! Yuji.

Because that makes total sense (it doesn't)

I've been kind of obsessed with the manga development process and in that GG interview saying something like "my dad asked me if Papaguro and Yuta are inspired by him" and I'm like, "Oh, my fangirl ass needs to write this. Take it as a hit of bills, you one-eyed cat."

Okay, this is a little confusing even for me. But it's something like:

Megumi is a successful mangaka, but he's super unapproachable and a total emo weirdo who trash talks his own characters because he doesn't have very high self-esteem (cough, cough, GG, cough, cough), and is currently going through for a serious crisis of writer's block and he's also anxious because he thinks he's boring fans of his manga. Meanwhile, Yuji is a freelance artist, but thanks to Nobara's super cool girlfriend (Maki Simp here), he gets a job on Megumi's team who, lo and behold, is also his favorite manga artist! So join him on the long-short journey of trying not to act like a fangirl around his idol.

It sounds like a dumb idea when I write it down here, but I swear it has potential.

Like, picture with me.

Afternoons drawing together in silence, having snacks together, talking about their favorite anime/manga, watching studio ghibli movies together on a rainy night, buying Megumi's manga/anime merchandise, Yuji praising everything he loves about Megumi's story and highlighting his genius, Megumi creating a new character that looks a lot like Yuji, the two posting photos together and the internet freaking out.

Anyway, this has been on my mind for some time. Maybe I write? Who knows… Reblog if you want to embark on this absurd idea with me, LOL (you don't have to do this if you don't want to. Honestly? I'll end up forgetting about this idea if another one comes along)

#This would practically be a fanfic about GG's life using the characters of himself #checkmate bitch #and I didn't forget he chose the name “yuji” after his classmate #oh #and credits to the art artist #I found it on pinterest #so I don't know it #but all rights reserved to this person #megumi fushiguro #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #fushiguro megumi #itadori yuji #itafushi #fushiita #jjk au #jjk fanfic #jjk spoilers

[aokuro-san]

Misaki Takamatsu, the mangaka who deserves much more recognition.

Misaki Takamatsu is great. So today I come to try to pique your curiosity, because I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING that the mangaka has created. Above all, SKIP AND LOAFER, the current romance (and slice of life) that, in the end, has not fallen on deaf ears for me (If in sixty chapters he has done nothing but maintain that level, I doubt he will go down… oh, Museru😖). All thanks to his simplicity and frankness, characteristics that he demonstrates in any of his "children", no matter how different they are from each other. There is, for example, CANARIA TACHI NO FUNE, a correct existentialist science fiction story that, at times, borders on cosmic horror (or horror, without further ado) in favor of simply telling you a good story (to which I say 5 /5 ). Or…

Well, if it is true, that OKAERI, AUREOLE (or WELCOME BACK, AUREOLE), could fit along the same lines as the first, with the difference of being two boys, lifelong friends, instead of a charming and dignified peasant girl and an enigmatic and popular city boy (among others, since ALL THE S&L CHARACTERS ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL. And very well, too). However, I feel that it varies the same. And that's another point to keep in mind: Takamatsu's versatility; which means that, no matter how much you see it in his stories (or repeat some of his themes), you will never read two works of his that are similar.

It's admirable.

And besides that, your drawing is an added bonus of extra enjoyment and charm^^

So I don't know what else I have to tell you to get you to give it a chance. In my case, she has been worth every second. She makes me feel everything, and makes me think about her stories and her characters at every moment. I think (and I like) that he understands that there are people of all kinds, with physiques and personalities of all kinds (that love is not only valid between beautiful people, God😂! - although I add that none of his characters seem ugly to me; ugliness is something that goes inside, as Constantino said- or, even, that not only because you are handsome or I LIKE YOU I HAVE A THOUSAND THINGS TO HAPPEN TO YOU)

and it leads to genius because reading is not an escape from reality, but rather a look at many different realities.

Incredibly recommended.

#misaki takamatsu #skip and loafer #canaria tachi no fune #okaeri aureole #great mangaka #manga romance #good romance #slice of life #sci fi #cosmic horror #manga recommendation #manga review #my commentary #my reviews

[love-overdrive]

Knocking on Heaven's Door

Summary: Mary insists on having Koichi take her to see her old acquaintance, Rohan Kishibe. Rohan, however, is less than thrilled to see his "rival" at his door.

Pairing: Rohan Kishibe x F!OC

Rating: SFW

Word Count: ~2.9k

Notes: Reunion? Kinda? Rohan is an ass, Koichi is stuck like the poor kid between arguing parents. Both Mary and Rohan are delusional morons, please forgive them <3

Please let me know if you'd like to be tagged whenever I post future works <3!

“Do I know you?” Rohan asked drabbly, an irritated look on his face as he was once again interrupted from his work with a knock at the door. 

“Well, yeah, Mr. Kishibe, we have met before!” She eagerly replied to his question. Koichi figured it was only natural they have seen each other previously as he stood beside Mary. Rohan hummed then tapped his chin in thought until he snapped his fingers. Mangakas must have seen-

“Oh. A fan, right?” Rohan dismissively said, making Koichi and Mary jolt in surprise. “Hm… let’s see, was it during my tour in the north? Or my appearance at that con last year?” 

“What? No. Mr. Kishibe, come on, it’s me!” Mary pleaded, hoping for him to remember her. 

“You’re not a fan? Then what are you doing here?” Rohan narrowed his eyes, not pleased to be away from his desk any longer. 

“Wait, I am a fan but- ugh, not like that! You seriously don’t remember me?” Koichi grimaced as Mary looked to be deflated from her earlier excitement to see Rohan again. Koichi thought that, from how highly and affectionately Mary spoke of Rohan, that they had a close relationship. 

However, Rohan was rolling his eyes and about to slam the door shut on them. “I guess not. I only remember those worthy of being remembered.” 

Mary let out an offended gasp. “What? What the hell are you talking about?” 

Koichi hadn’t heard Mary get so aggressive before, while Rohan seemed to not care at all. “Exactly what I said. Now, tell me your name and state your business, or I’ll just assume that you are here to waste my time.” 

“I’m Mary. Mary Yazawa. You know, creator of Nina, and stuff?” Mary introduced herself awkwardly, hoping this would jog his memory. 

“Hm, Nina, I can’t say I-” just as he said that, his face dropped and he let out an angered gasp. “You!” 

Both Mary and Koichi leaned back in confusion when Rohan pointed at Mary as if she were the devil herself. “Y-yes?” 

“You dare show yourself to me like this? Don’t think you’re anywhere near good enough to breathe the same air as me!” 

“Why are you getting so angry at me, huh? I just wanted to see you again!” Mary folded her arms. 

“Oh, no, no, no, I know what you’re up to! The great Rohan Kishibe doesn’t need some talentless hack to visit him.” 

“Talentless hack? You’re so rude!” 

“It’s simply the truth. I guess they just let anyone publish anything nowadays, huh?” 

Mary glared at him. “You know what? Ixnay on this visit! I was just happy to see an old friend here!” 

“Friend? Please, you wish you could be my friend. Or did you simply think meeting me here would allow my genius to rub off on you and make your manga worth a damn?” Rohan said with a haughty smirk. 

“My manga is perfectly fine, thank you very much!” 

“And that’s what separates us two, you’re happy releasing mediocre and serviceable work under the pretense of it being ‘fine’. I, however, aim to excel and achieve greatness by surpassing all else.” 

“You sure excel at being an asshole!” Mary shouted back. 

Koichi stared in horror as the two mangakas continued to bicker back and forth. Rohan tried to keep his pompous air up, but the more Mary argued with him, the more his mask was slipping. Was Mary really certain they were friends? This didn’t seem like how friends acted. Or even professionals, for that matter. 

“I have more talent in my pinkie than you do in your entire body!” Rohan childishly yelled, practically cheek to cheek with Mary. 

“I put way more heart and soul into my work! You're just a soulless jerk!” 

“Soulless?! At least I don’t need to publish my manga in English to boost my sales!”

“What about it? They love my work!”

“That’s because they have no taste! What is so hard to understand about a stupid romance?” 

“It’s not just a romance, you idiot!” 

Koichi looked at his two heroes, eyes flicking between them as they traded even worse and more personal insults. 

“Yeah? Well your hair is ugly! Tell your stylist to give you a refund!” 

“Says the man whose hair looks like toothpaste!” 

“Screw you! You’d never understand the-“

“The what? The fact you choose to look like a tube of Crest every day?” 

“I’ll have you know, my grandmother-“ 

“Guys! Stop it!” Koichi screamed, attempting to push them both away from each other. Mary huffed and dusted herself off. 

“I’m sorry, Koichi. Mr. Kishibe just seems to be a real character.” 

“Hmph,” Rohan seemed to feel the same as he fixed his hair. “I’m sorry as well for losing my cool against a half-rate ‘mangaka’.” 

Koichi deadpanned. “Rohan…” 

Rohan rolled his eyes and sighed, folding his arms. “Fine. Sorry, to uh, whatever your name was.” 

“Rohan!” 

Rohan rolled his eyes again and sighed even louder. “Sorry, Miss Yazawa.” 

“Fine. Apology accepted. Mind telling me what that was all about?” She furrowed her brows at him, now curious about the reason for his hostility. 

“I shouldn’t have to explain myself. You know very well the reason for our mutual dislike of one another.” 

“What? No, I’m actually really confused!” 

“You need me to spell it our for you, huh? Or are you simply pretending to be daft to attempt to mock me?” Rohan dramatically said. Koichi looked at Mary curiously, but she only shrugged, seeming just as lost as Koichi was. “Well, if you need such a reminder, it all starts back on the day we first met!” 

Mary, of course, remembered that day. Koichi knew about it after Mary gushed with stars in her eyes about how a young Rohan had bumped into her after a meeting with her editors. He had accidentally picked up some of her drafts that had fallen on the ground, and looked through them. Mary had said it must have been fate, that the handsome young man was the one to give her better tips and advice to make sure her work got published. That didn’t really sound like Rohan, but Koichi nodded along, thinking the story at least made him sound somewhat nice. He was certain, though, that past Mary’s rose-tinted glasses, Rohan probably said a few insults that were sprinkled with genuine criticism and promptly walked away. 

That sounded more like Rohan. But even still, he didn’t see how Rohan could view that day as a sign of disrespect or mutual dislike. 

Rohan placed a hand on his hips and pointed an accusatory finger at Mary. “That day… that day you scorned me and ignored my very existence, I’ve always had it out for you! You think you could dismiss me and look down on me? Please, the only reason you are close to beating me in sales is because Viz published your manga in English! Otherwise, you’d be so far behind!” 

“I don’t think you two are on the same page…” Koichi mumbled. Even if Rohan was an ass, he didn’t see why Mary of all people would ignore him for no reason. And why was she saying the nicest things about him before while he assumed she was ignoring him? 

“I am on the correct page,” Rohan argued. “It is her who started this feud, and it is I who will end it!” 

“I didn’t even know we were in a feud,” Mary casually stated, resting her chin between her thumb and index. “I never ignored you, by the way. I don’t even know what you’re referring to. Are you mistaking me for someone else?” 

“I do not have you mistaken! You must be a complete airhead to forget that day!” 

“Alright, then what happened that day?” Mary challenged. Koichi leaned in closer to hear Rohan’s explanation. 

“Fine. Since you really are ignorant, allow me to enlighten you. It all started the day of the award ceremony. I had, of course, just won the ‘Best New Shounen’ award, and you had won the ‘Best New Shoujo’ award. My editor, for some reason, said it would be good for me to congratulate you. I went up to you, and you didn’t even spare me a glance! You kept looking away and mumbling under your breath, then left without even saying ‘thank you’! I wanted your damn manga cut, but somehow, you still have a job!” 

“Eh…?” Mary gave a dumb smile as she listened to Rohan. “But that wasn’t-” 

“What, going to insist that you did nothing wrong? Tell me I was mistaken again? I know what you are, Miss Yazawa! And I won’t stand for someone like you attempting to feel superior over me!” 

Koichi nervously chuckled and waved to get their eyes. “I think I understand the issue here.” 

Both mangakas looked at him, Mary with a hopeful look and Rohan with a stern glare. He gulped, feeling their attention on him. Both of them wanted an explanation for their frankly one-sided rivalry. 

“Well? Go on and tell us,” Rohan urged. 

“Don’t be so rude to him,” Mary countered. Koichi shook his head. 

“I think you two had a different idea of your first meeting with each other.” 

“And that would be?” 

“Mary went on and on about how nice you were and helped her before her manga was published. You think she snubbed you and ignored you during the award show. Both can’t be true, unless you forgot about your actual first meeting, Rohan,” Koichi fumbled to explain. 

“What? No. We met at the award show,” Rohan retorted. “I would know, I was wearing my white Versace shoes that night. And I only wear it on special occasions.” 

“No, we met outside the halls of Shueisha. We bumped into each other, remember?” 

“Doesn’t ring a bell,” Rohan dismissively said. “Why would I talk to someone I bumped into?” 

“You did!” Mary cried and then covered her cheeks with her hands. “You picked up my manuscript from the floor!” 

It was like magic, that moment! Our fingers touched, and you were in your simple white pants and shirt. I looked into your green eyes and knew I was destined to meet you! You had a serious expression on your face- that real cool-guy type of look! The kind of look that said ‘hey, I’m the best around.’ And like, you so were! Everyone was fawning over your new manga, and the fact you looked at me and even talked to me was incredible!

For that moment, I understood what it was like to be at the center of attention. You had that smooth and relaxing voice that I wanted to melt into. Your voice, it was so soft, but your words- they were so harsh! You looked at me with that smolder and told me my work had potential but I was squandering it. You, the genius mangaka, was telling me I had potential? My heart soared! I thought I should cry about it, but how could I when you looked at me with those beautiful eyes? 

I almost thought I died that day and went to heaven. When you gave me back my manuscript and told me to do it again, I totally knew I had what it took to succeed! And thanks to your words of (dis)couragement, I have been a shoujo sensation! 

Rohan raised a brow at Mary’s flushed face. “Is this normal?” 

Koichi pursed his lips and nodded at Rohan. “Yeah…” 

“Hmph, well, regardless, I clearly remember us meeting at that award ceremony.” 

Now, we already established I was in my white Versace shoes. They need no introduction. By the way, this award show was for my second award- Pink Dark Boy truly is a masterpiece that I have cultivated from my very being. The sales figures did not lie, and the ratings from the readers of Shounen Jump proved I was a legend in the making. And now, my work has amassed me great fortune and fame- none of which I care for since I am writing to be read. Pink Dark Boy must continue for as long as I, Rohan Kishibe, continue! Until my very last breath, I shall- 

Wait, wait, off topic. The award show, right. Yeah. Kyoka had insisted I ‘make friends’ with that girl that won. I don’t really need friends, because none surely will ever come close to my level. And second off, why would I want to congratulate that girl? I read a page of her work, and while there was potential, I found it too slow. There was no hook. I mean, what is the hook to a premise like ‘two women with the name Nina accidentally meet on a train’? Am I missing something? I bet I could go on a train right now and find about three women with the name ‘Naomi’. That’s not really anything special, that’s just statistics. 

Agh. Again. Well, I was gonna just go give her a quick congratulations, yet when I walked up to her, she covered her mouth and nose! What kind of rude person does that? Was she trying to imply I smelled? I can assure you, I do not, not after I have sprayed my Calvin Klein Eternity cologne! Rude. And then when I went to shake her hand, she took a few steps back and refused to look me in the eyes! 

That, I can assure you, is a declaration of war! I was about to pity her and give a half-hearted congratulations, but her insistence on snubbing me and insulting both my appearance and work is unforgivable! If she wishes to act superior to me, then I will make sure she knows she was sorely mistaken to have crossed me! Ever since then, I have been laughing away at the sales numbers with my morning coffee. I will make sure she understands she does not have what it takes to best me! 

“W-wait, you really have been looking at my sales numbers?” Mary gasped, her eyes widened as she covered her mouth. 

“Heh, obviously. Since you turned down my offering of praise, I have checked our sales numbers to compare it many times. And what do you know, even with your numbers on Viz from this quarter, you still have not caught up to me!” Rohan triumphantly leaned his head back. 

“Really? I’m… wow, the fact you took the time to look at my numbers is so… it’s so touching you’ve been keeping an eye on my growth!” Mary grinned in shock.

“Of course. You can rest easy now knowing I’ve seen your progress, and cannot wait to crush you further,” Rohan chuckled back. 

Koichi’s jaw dropped as his eyes darted between the smug Rohan and the bashful Mary. 

“W-what? But you two aren’t saying the same thing! I-I think you guys are on different planets right now!” He shouted, but the two mangakas seemed to be focused on each other. Rohan pointed again at Mary and smirked. 

“Let it be known, just because we are in the same town, I still don’t forgive you. I will be keeping a close eye on you. You better give me something worthwhile to surpass, Miss Yazawa,” he stated, although Koichi noticed Rohan’s pompous words seemed to have a bit of eagerness in them. Was he seriously insulting her to do better so he could ‘win’ more? Mary gasped and nodded. 

“Yes, Mr. Kishibe! I totally will!” She nodded, clasping her hands together as she stammered out. “I’ll, uh, I’ll make sure you regret picking up a pen!” 

“I’d like to see you try,” Rohan gloated, dramatically flipping his hair. “Now get out of my house, I have work to do.” 

He said with a grin as he slammed the door shut on Koichi and Mary. Koichi stood close to Mary, who was completely silent, and waved his hands. 

“P-please don’t listen to Rohan, he just doesn’t understand how-” 

Mary interrupted Koichi’s apology with a quiet squeal. “Oh my gosh, Koichi, he does remember me!” 

“Uh-” 

“He even checks and compares our sales numbers! The fact he regards me so highly means I’m doing amazing!” 

“But he just said he wanted to crush you.” 

“Oh, he’s just joking,” Mary dismissed. “Men like Rohan, they’re driven by one thing! Their self-imposed ideals and goals! That fact I’m now one of his goals to crush means I am, in fact, important enough to become a goal! He just can’t admit that, yet. I mistook his harsh words earlier for a brute, but now I see he really does care for me!” 

Koichi looked gobsmacked at Mary’s excited cheers. “W-what, that is literally not-” 

“Koichi, thank you for today! I owe you my life!” Mary beamed. “I’ll make you your favorite dinner soon! But now, I need to go home and start my new chapter!” 

“But, but you and Rohan still-” 

“Byyyyyyyeeeee~!” She waved as she sprinted off in her heels to presumably head back to her house. 

Koichi was left speechless at Rohan’s front porch, wondering what the hell he just witnessed. He couldn’t believe his two favorite mangakas were such weirdos. Is that a requirement for all mangakas at this point? 

#jjba #mary 4 #mary yazawa #jjba oc #self ship community #my oc #self ship #jojo oc #kishibe rohan x oc #mary x rohan #rohan kishibe #kishibe rohan #rohan kishibe x oc #selfship community #selfshipping community

[krippe90]

This mangaka is a genius

#Sousou no frieren #frieren

[zarinthelwrites]

can i ask what the inspiration and thought process was for the premise of the scorpion and the frog?

I love nothing more than talking about my own ideas. Absolutely!

So the absolute initial thought process actually came from a scraped video essay idea that I had been working on, the idea for a series tentatively titled 'distaff counterparts' where I looked into what it really meant to turn a predominately male trope and apply it to a girl. From there, I focused on the Aloof Big Brother trope and its "distaff", Cool Big Sis. And then, while I was writing that out, I used Itachi as an example.

Here's a short excerpt from the script.

Older sisters don’t get to die with questions about their private hatreds still hidden in their hearts. 

Here’s the thing. Changing a character’s gender doesn’t have to alter their personality traits, but it absolutely will change audience perception. What if Itachi had been a girl? Working under the (false) assumption that the Naruto mangaka is capable of giving girls character arcs, then everything would be exactly the same--

But what would people think of Itachi?

Abandoning her younger brother. Dying of a mysterious disease. Unknowable power, a genius since birth. Manipulating things behind the scenes, then dying peacefully...

>flashing words ‘mary sue’ 

That’s a lot of dangerous things to lay on the shoulders of a female villain. She could have been the next Hokage, Hiruzen sighs...

Narratively, the idea of having an older sister be the one who ruins their entire life for the sake of a society that destroys them, and a brother that never follows through on his decision to destroy or save that society could say something. 

Of course, a lot of Naruto could say something, and it doesn’t for far less interesting reasons than this. 

Now, you may notice this isn't, in fact, Scorpion and the Frog's premise. Between writing this and writing Scorpion and the Frog, I came up with the story's most fundamental twist, and in fact, the chapter 2 quote: "You take the burden, I'll take the blame"

Kaeru doesn't replace Itachi in the narrative, but opposes him: but she also inherits his role in the story as the antagonist. She's a very bitter and cold person, and even when history exonerates her of the crime it can't exonerate her personality: she never had good intentions, and she DIDN'T secretly love peace.

Or rather, she didn't believe that Naruto's world could become peaceful. If she'd been truly apathetic about the state of the world, she wouldn't be so angry, and so bitter. And so she and Itachi face each other with contradictory beliefs: he killed his family to preserve Konoha, she took the blame for his actions because she wanted him to suffer for his ability to believe in peace. The contradiction comes from the fact that Kaeru could have done a lot of what Itachi could not. She was better with people than him, she knew the future, if she had worked together with Itachi then maybe everything would have been different. But instead she and Itachi are both dead and speaking to each other through the sharingans that killed them, and Itachi still reaches out to the sister that he loves--

And he tells her, and through her the reader, that an change in perspective is enough to justify existence. Even if nothing except how he and Sasuke see the world is different because she knew them, then her existence is not irrelevant. Which, I suppose, is the final irrefutation of Kaeru's believe that change is impossible.

#lol #anon #my writing

[robotlesbianjavert]

Bro what happened to AFO he used to be scary and deserving respect. Now he’s a clown and probably Shigaraki’s grandpa. All Might’s arc too, the iron suit felt last minute af.

EVERYONE REMEMBER KAMINO. THE KAMINO ARC. WHERE ALL FOR ONE'S VERY PRESENCE GAVE THE STUDENTS PANIC ATTACKS. @stillness-in-green is right to rag on his big move being to bulk up his ridiculous arm for ridiculous punches it was a sign of things to come.

like the thing is. villain decay is a real phenomenon. it's one thing to present a villain as intimidating and threatening. it's another thing to actually follow through on that intimidation and threat factor. we can get told that All For One is an evil genius, but horikoshi himself is not an evil genius and will have understandable trouble tapping into that. not to mention life for a mangaka is hard, and maintaining the energy needed for tight, intense, in-depth characterization can be difficult for every aspect of a narrative, your big bad least of all.

addtionally, a lot of All For One's early allure also existed in a light touch and sparse appearances. he can retain an air of mystery, we have more room to speculate about his motivations and relationships, he made for an intriguing foil to how all might seemingly deconstructed certain tenets of superhero stories. once AFO is on the front line in the last act, we lose all of that.

but above all of that. and i actually mentioned this with my friends earlier today. is that i fully believe that All For One was always a character in flux, and that horikoshi never had a solid idea of what he was going to do with him.

obviously we know that horikoshi's ideas for the plot and the endgame have shifted a lot over the years. most notably, the way the story keeps being so much longer than he intended. or how the heroes rising movie riffed elements of one idea for an ending. and i guess recently it was revealed that he originally intended for endeavour to die in the PFL/Jakku battle, but changed his mind while working on the high-end battle. this is pretty expected with manga - you can have a general plan going in, but unless you're crazy disciplined a lot of things are going to be by the seat of your pants. (conversely, there are story elements that horikoshi stubbornly clung to, like shouji having a big plot despite doing the bare minimum of set up to earn that big plot. but that's besides the point.)

All For One comes across to me like horikoshi's biggest question mark for his part in the storyline. i know a lot of people carry on like him possessing shigaraki was a no-brainer and the only way the plot was going to go, but i got the impression that horikoshi set it up so that he COULD do the possession plot if he found it necessary, but that he could also choose another, non-possession path if necessary (we must always hold his comments about best jeanist's quirk close). remember, a big theory was that instead of springing All For One out of prison, shigaraki would kill him and take his place as the true big bad. honestly, AFO chilling in jail for the second act left as an option for a lot of things that horikoshi COULD do, but also an obligation to do SOMETHING.

i got the same sense throughout the third act where horikoshi could (and did) just fall back on him being a Born Evil, Cause Of All Disaster plot device, but i felt like there were some vague hints and general leeway where he could have a deeper and more complex character, and a more meaningful relationship with his brother, if horikoshi wanted to pull thay trigger. he didn't! but he could have.

another piece in my "flux character" argument is the recent reveal that AFO and yoichi are actually twins. at no point prior to the story was this ever indicated - they were always just described as "big brother" and "little brother", with the obvious read of them having some years bt them. them being twins doesn't really come across as a big Twist, but a recontextualization that makes it "easier" (in the broadest sense possible) to sell AFO as Born Evil. because otherwise, horikoshi would have to decide on what AFO and his relationship with his parent(s) looked like before yoichi was born, and giving AFO any additional backstory beyond his possessiveness of yoichi and his greed over everything throws a wrench into that Born Evil character. i honestly think the twin thing is a retcon, rather than horikoshi's original intention, because it was just easier to write at the point of the story with whatever stress horikoshi is under.

and it's a shame! All For One might have lost a lot of threat in this last act, but he was funny, and there was potential to do more with him. it is what it is.

all might tho that was just dumb as hell. you expect me to believe he remembers enough of his students to recreate their quirks mechanically. i wish he died.

#bnha bloggin

[stackslip]

i remember being 7, 8, hanging out at a friend's house while he was playing video games and coming across his collection of all 42 dragon ball volumes. it was the mirrored french version that had some weird translation choices, such as transliterating goku as 'sangoku' (as in merging his first and last name together), master roshi being called genius tortoise, etc. while id loved reading i think it was at that point the longest story id ever read by far. it introduced me to manga and graphic novels as a whole, it pumped me up and provoked visceral emotional reactions. i think it was the first time any work of fiction made me cry, when goku sacrificed himself to defeat cell and then when vegeta blew himself up and finally when they used every earthling's power to use the spirit bomb against buu. when i got to the end of volume 42 i ardently started looking for what came next because surely it couldn't be over! i begged my mom to remove parental controls on our large home pc so i could search for dragon ball, and it's how i found gt and the movies, on dubious websites where the 144p videos were embedsed with lousy fansubs. i think dbgt was the first series i ever streamed. i discovered deviantart, fanfiction dot net by looking for fan content of dragon ball. i discovered forums. eventually i discovered youtube as a preteen, watching so many linkin park amvs. dragon ball led me to the internet, it led me to reading more manga, it led me to the first real realisation of how long form content could create stories and exciting fights and provoke deep emotions within me. even as a teen and adult i periodically reread it with a smile. even when it's bad, even when it's aged poorly or you can see where toriyama's editors forced a last minute major change to the story, toriyama had a gift for still keeping things exciting, coming up with a bigger more worrying threat, making you root for its characters. vegeta remains imo one of my favourite redemption arcs in all of fiction. the work dragon ball did, its humor, its fights, its imagery all changed not just me but the industry as a whole, and imo 95% of shounen mangaka dont quite manage to capture that energy and emotion through fights he did. it's the grandaddy of all shounen for a reason.

i didnt think id be so upset over this but i am.

#eli talks